Man decapitated wife, 17, and paraded her head down street
A man who beheaded his wife and paraded her head down the street was handed a mere eight-year prison sentence in Iran. He avoided a harsher punishment after her parents reportedly declined to invoke Iran's Islamic law of retribution.
Mona Heydari, a mother of one, was just 17 when she was dragged from a car outside her family home and killed in February 2022, as per court proceedings. Her husband Sajjad Heydari, and his brother Heydar, executed the horrific attack in Ahvaz, the capital of the southwestern Khuzestan Province.
The leniency of the sentence was due to Mona's parents having "pardoned" him for the murder rather than seeking retribution, according to a judiciary spokesman.
Mona, who was married off at the tender age of 12, initially fled her abusive husband and escaped to Turkey with another man, the court heard. Heydari had reportedly denied Mona's pleas for a divorce.
Her father, known as Javid in local reports, eventually located her and convinced her to return to Iran, reports the Express.
As reported by the BBC, her father allegedly used Interpol to locate his daughter and returned her to her violent husband, where her spouse - who is also her cousin - murdered her, claiming she had dishonoured him.
Disturbing video evidence, which we have chosen not to show, emerged depicting the murderous husband holding his wife's severed head in one hand and a large knife in the other after killing her.
Court spokesperson Massud Setayeshi announced Heydari was handed a seven and a half year sentence for murder, with an additional eight months for intentional assault. His brother, who disposed of his sister-in-law's decapitated body, received a 45-month prison sentence for complicity in intentional homicide.
The court heard how the victim's father justified marrying her off at 12 to a relative, claiming the violence she experienced in the relationship was normal. Mona was only 14 when she gave birth to their son.
The father lauded the husband they chose for her as a good spouse, emphasising his work ethic and provision of the 'best life' for his daughter.
Javid told the court: "She was not forced to marry, and in fact, the husband provided her with the very best of lives.
"It's true, there was fighting between them, and sometimes there was violence, and she would return home, but she only stayed for two or three days, and then he would pick her up, and life would return to normal.
"These fights between husband and wife are completely normal, and I don't think there was a problem as she did not ask for a divorce."
Mona's father admitted, in retrospect, she may have been too young for marriage, but insisted: "We got a certificate of confirmation that she was physically old enough to marry, and there was no physical problem in the relationship."
The family claimed the husband felt humiliated and insulted by his wife escaping to Turkey with another man.
The Women's Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) reported the victim was forced to marry her cousin at the age of 12.
They also disclosed the young girl supposedly suffered domestic abuse and whenever she expressed a wish to divorce her husband, her family put pressure on her to return home for the sake of their child, who was born when she was just 14.
Local media reported the husband's brother wrapped the girl's body in a blanket and dumped it, while the husband displayed his wife's head.
In the video, the suspect is seen smiling widely as he clutches the teenager's head, walking past local residents.
Meanwhile, the state-run news site Rokna was reportedly closed down for publishing the story and the footage at the time of the incident.
The NCRI's Women's Committee stated: "Not a week goes by without some form of honour killing making headlines. The clerical regime's failure to criminalise these murders has led to a catastrophic rise in honour killings.
"In a report published in 2019, the state-run Sharq daily newspaper wrote that an annual average of 375 to 450 honour killings are recorded in Iran. The murders are more prevalent [the areas of] in Khuzestan, Kurdistan, Ilam, and Sistan and Baluchestan.
"Some women's rights activists believe that honour killings in Iran are officially justified as 'family differences'.
"The catastrophic rise in honour killings in Iran is rooted in misogyny and the patriarchal culture institutionalised in the laws and society. Although the father, brother, or husband holds the knife, sickle, or rifle, the murders are rooted in the medieval outlook of the ruling regime.
"The clerical regime's laws officially denote that women are second-degree citizens owned by men."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
The One Show's Alex Jones responds to Jermaine Jenas' sext scandal after BBC axe
Presenter Alex Jones has broken her silence on Jermaine Jenas' axe from The One Show and BBC following his sexting scandal Alex Jones has responded to her former co-worker Jermaine Jenas' text row after he was sacked from the BBC and ITV over allegations of workplace misconduct. The former England international was axed in August over claims he had sent inappropriate texts to female colleagues. Jenas, 42, was removed from his role as a presenter of The One Show and a pundit for BBC Sport after an internal investigation was launched. He saw his contract terminated by the broadcaster and ultimately also parted ways with his long-term agents MC Saatchi in addition to being let go from his role presenting Formula E. Jenas also missed out on presenting Soccer Aid for ITV last month over the allegations. However, he has returned to working in the sphere of football in the aftermath of his sacking by BBC. Following Jenas' BBC axe, his former colleague Alex, 51, has now claimed that she was 'completely unaware' about complaints made against him. After learning about the sexting scandal and the allegations of misconduct, Alex has insisted that she had 'no idea' what was going on at the time. "I very much take people on face value. But with JJ I didn't know what was going on. I thought he was taking extended leave," she revealed. "If that was my daughter and she felt uncomfortable with someone's behaviour, I hope that whatever company she was working for would deal with it swiftly as well," she told The Big Issue. After stepping back from his role as a presenter on talkSPORT, the 42-year-old appeared as a guest and returned to action as a commentator in February. Upon his return, Jenas told the station: "The biggest thing in this whole situation is about taking responsibility and that has been at the forefront of my mind… There's a reason why you're in this position and there's a reason why this has happened. "Once you accept those things, then you can work on yourself and you can work on the other things and you can work on your family and work towards a brighter future. Essentially this is about me looking inwards, making some improvements and coming back a better person.' In March, Ellie Penfold announced her split from Jenas. The pair share four children and Penfold took so social media to confirm the end of her 16-year relationship. "I never imagined I would have to share something so personal with the public, but given the situation, I feel it's necessary," she 16 years together and 4 wonderful children, Jermaine and I have decided to part ways. "We will remain friends and continue to co-parent. We kindly ask that you respect our children's privacy during this challenging time. Thank you, Ellie."
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Alex Jones reveals she was completely unaware about complaints made against her The One Show co-host Jermaine Jenas
Alex Jones has revealed she was completely unaware about complaints made against her The One Show co-host Jermaine Jenas. Jenas, 42, was taken off the show after being fired by the BBC for sending inappropriate messages to female employees during his time at the corporation. The sexting scandal also cost Jenas his 13-year marriage after his wife Ellie, the mother of three of his four children, announced the pair were divorcing earlier in March. Someone who was oblivious to the complaints was Welsh presenter Alex, who used to host The One Show alongside Jenas. Speaking to The Big Issue, she said: 'I very much take people on face value. But with JJ I didn't know what was going on. I thought he was taking extended leave. 'If that was my daughter and she felt uncomfortable with someone's behaviour, I hope that whatever company she was working for would deal with it swiftly as well.' Jenas, who also has a daughter from a previous relationship, was sacked by the BBC in August, which resulted in him losing his hosting gig on The One Show and punditry work on both Match of the Day and 5 Live. The BBC confirmed their decision while he was on air guest hosting talkSPORT's drive time show. His agency MC Saatchi also cut ties with him before he brought in a crisis PR team to handle the aftermath of the scandal. Jenas revealed he lied to wife Ellie during a family holiday in order to sneak off and take a Zoom call with BBC bosses after news of his X-rated messages was first revealed within the broadcaster. And he also told how she had kicked him out of their £1million home in Hertfordshire after he admitted sending inappropriate messages to two female colleagues. Speaking to the Filthy Rellas podcast last month, Jenas claimed historical problems within the relationship also contributed to the break up. He said: 'The reality is, me and my wife haven't split up because I sent some text messages to some people at work. 'We had issues for a period of time, it all comes to a head and you eventually make a decision to say, as adults, we will be better parents for our children if we just remain friends and that's it. 'We had 16 amazing years together, me and my wife, how many people last that long? Sixteen years. Ups and downs. She caught the wrong end of my [playing] career, bless her.' During an interview with The Sun shortly after he was sacked by the BBC, Jenas admitted his wife was 'raging' over the incident. He said: 'We've not really spoken properly since. She's absolutely raging.' Jenas continued: 'It's just about the children right now. It's the school holidays and they're trapped in the house because photographers are outside my house. 'They're like, 'What's going on, Daddy?'. It's tough.' He added: 'I've got to take responsibility and I've apologised to all of them. 'I don't know what to say about that, to be honest with you. It's just hard at home for the kids right now. My wife's a real one 'My wife is solid and she's amazing. She is kind. She just needs some time.' Jenas bombarded a woman working at the World Cup in Qatar two years ago with unwanted messages asking 'You want my boy now?' During the interview, Jenas insisted Ellie should not fear more women coming out of the woodwork with tales of further inappropriate behaviour. However, weeks after the scandal broke, MailOnline revealed Jenas bombarded a woman working at the World Cup in Qatar two years ago with unwanted messages asking 'You want my boy now?' before sending her a picture of his manhood, despite her making clear she was not interested in his advances. The following week, we also told how he repeatedly pestered a junior make-up artist for sex - and when she told him she had a boyfriend replied: 'Just come to my dressing room early and I'll [perform a sex act] on u… that's not cheating.' That incident took place when he was working for BT Sport in 2017, where he was a rising star as a football pundit.
Daily Record
3 hours ago
- Daily Record
'Chernobyl' ghost town in Scotland FINALLY demolished after years of crime and drugs
The Clune Estate in Port Glasgow, which has been likened to a post-apocalyptic film, is finally being flattened after years of neglect and social decline It has long been compared to something from an apocalyptic movie - a decaying ghost town plagued by drugs, blazes and criminality - but now the infamous Clune Estate in Port Glasgow is finally being torn down. Demolition teams have started the painstaking and cautious job of knocking down what remains of the formerly thriving housing development, with labourers wearing protective gloves and reinforced boots to shield themselves from shattered glass and abandoned syringes scattered across the area. The development, nicknamed the "Scottish Chernobyl" due to its resemblance to the deserted Ukrainian settlement near the nuclear catastrophe site, had fallen into decay following years of abandonment and social deterioration. What had previously been a flourishing neighbourhood became a desolate wasteland. In its prime, the Clune Estate was a lively centre, housing dockyard employees from the neighbouring Lithgow facility, reports the Express. Constructed following the Great War, the development boasted its own educational facility, place of worship, retail outlets and civic hall. Youngsters cycled through the streets during twilight hours and residents felt secure. However, when shipbuilding industry crumbled during the 1990s, the neighbourhood fell apart. House values crashed, inhabitants departed, and property owners arrived to accommodate benefit recipients via local authority programmes. Gradually, the estate fell into disorder, experiencing 14 blazes within merely eight months during its darkest period. Substance misuse, destruction and lawlessness became so widespread that remaining families escaped. From 480 homes, merely five residents remained as of this year. Most were eager to escape, with those who remained holding onto memories of happier times. During a visit by MailOnline this week, bulldozers were seen actively demolishing the remnants of flats. A construction worker revealed his constant apprehension about what they might find hidden in the rubble - particularly needles concealed within the debris. He pointed out the "stubborn" bricks that had resisted demolition. The surrounding ruins of shops and offices, now charred and empty, narrated a tale of years of arson attacks. The local church, school and community centre had all been set alight after their closure. Later, thieves stripped the buildings of lead and copper piping. Now, the council has earmarked the land for new housing as part of a significant regeneration initiative. Plans for reconstruction had been suggested as early as 2007, but until now, little headway had been made. One of the area's most prominent landlords, David Hay Smith, confirmed that a proposal to enhance the estate was put forward more than fourteen years ago - a plan to foster a safer, more optimistic community. It's a vision that may finally come to fruition, as the ghosts of Clune Estate are finally being put to rest.
